The Mobius Strip

A continuous plane. A one-sided surface. A mathematical property of being non-orientable, (whatever that means). When cut lengthwise down the center a Mobius strip does not become two separate mobius strips, it becomes two intertwined half-twisted pieces of paper. The mobius strip, a fascinating mathematical element covered in some geometry course that I never took and had I done so would have failed. Interestingly enough, also the subject of a lesson meant for five different classes of seven year olds to be lead by none other than yours truly, the self-professed mathematical half-wit.
Not only did I have to research this lesson meant for 7 year olds prior to giving it but I also had to consider how in the HELL I was meant to convey it to a bunch of beginning English speakers. The lesson was a part of the series that I teach as a special lesson to every class in our school. Each foreign teacher has a special that they teach. There's science, big book and Orda, which is what I teach. Orda is a series that covers a variety of different subjects with three different levels. The highest level, level three, is meant for the seven year olds, the oldest students that attend the morning kindergarten classes. I decided that the best way for them to understand the lesson was if everybody watched as I made a ring out of paper and then made a Mobius strip out of paper before they all made their own Mobius strips and we discussed the differences. Naturally, because of my outstanding teaching skills, the children were all fascinated by their models and they had an enormously fun time making them. Oh, hang on, that must have been the lesson where the students had to watch cartoons and eat cotton candy and weren't expected to speak in English! From the moment I wrote the words Mobius Strip on the board the kids were bored, confused and utterly disinterested.
I certainly didn't know what a Mobius strip was before I looked it up on wikipedia.com so there's no way that these kids should be expected to learn it at such a young age, not to mention in a different language. I tried it with two different classes and made the executive to decision to scrap it from the curriculum. I'm sure it's too little too late though. I'd bet anything that the two classes that took their sorry Mobius strips home with them have already nicknamed me teacher Snoozefest.